Fraud Alerts

Email Phishing Scam
Sentinel Federal Credit Union was recently the target of a phishing attack.

Phishing is the practice of sending an e-mail that appears to be from a financial institution with the goal of persuading members to share sensitive information that can be used to commit fraud or identity theft.

A false email is circulating which asks members to complete a quick survey and money will be credited to the member's account. This email did not originate at Sentinel Federal Credit Union. It is a phishing scam attempting to steal your personal information. Do not click the link in the email and do not copy and paste the link into your browser.

The criminals that sent out this e-mail also copied our logo and imitated the “look and feel” of our website to try and persuade members that the e-mail was genuine. We did NOT send this message.

If you responded to the message by sharing sensitive financial information, please contact us immediately by phone at a number you know to be correct. Remember never share financial or personal information by e-mail.

If you receive an e-mail that claims to be from Sentinel Federal Credit Union and asks you to share account numbers, Social Security numbers, passwords or other personal information, please report it to us immediately.

Always remember that we will NEVER ask you to click on an e-mail link to share sensitive financial information.

Read "Don’t Get Phished & Protect Yourself From Identity Theft" below for more information on phishing scams and how to protect your personal information.

Telephone Scam
Please be aware that Sentinel Federal Credit Union will never ask you to verify your account number over the telephone when we call you. We already have this information.

Remember never provide your personal information or passwords in response to an unsolicited request. If you did not initiate the communication, you should not provide any information.

Ask the caller for their name, department and phone extension. Then contact Sentinel Federal at a number you know to be correct to determine if the call is legitimate. Contact us immediately if you think you have been scammed.

Fight identity theft by monitoring and reviewing your credit report
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. Learn more at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website. Get Details

Don’t Get Phished & Protect Yourself From Identity Theft
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, phishers send an email or pop-up message that claims to be from a business or organization that you may deal with — for example, an Internet service provider (ISP), bank, online payment service, or even a government agency.

The message may ask you to "update," "validate," or "confirm" your account information. Some phishing emails threaten a dire consequence if you don’t respond. The messages direct you to a website that looks just like a legitimate organization’s site. But it isn’t. It’s a bogus site whose sole purpose is to trick you into divulging your personal information so the operators can steal your identity and run up bills or commit crimes in your name. Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or on the Internet unless you’ve initiated the contact or are sure you know who you’re dealing with. Identity thieves are clever, and have posed as representatives of banks, Internet service providers (ISPs), and even government agencies to get people to reveal their Social Security Number, mother’s maiden name, account numbers, and other identifying information.

Before you share any personal information, confirm that you’re dealing with a legitimate organization. Check an organization’s website by typing its URL in the address line, rather than cutting and pasting it in. Many companies post scam alerts on their sites when their name has been used improperly.

Remember, Sentinel Federal Credit Union will never ask you to verify your account information through email. Contact us immediately if you think you have been scammed.